How To Guide Install GSI ROM - Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2021 [TB-J716F]

[salzzz]

anybody backed up the 13.1 OTA zip?

 

[mcdull]

I do not know if it is related or reported. There is a DSU Loader in the developer setting, with 2 options inside:-

GSI ARM64
arm64-exp-S3B1.xxxxxxxx

GSI+GMS ARM64
gms_arm64-exp-S3B1.xxxxxxxx

Isn't this enabling the GSI flash directly using the DSU Sideloader?

I am running the latest Chinese Official ROM

 

[mcdull]

Tried its internal DSU image, its a pure Android 12 with google.
Now I am trying to sideload a Android 12L GSI rom

 

[mcdull]

ok some updates.
Tested the built in gms_arm64-exp-S3B1.xxxxxxxx (this should be the build number of Google standard GSI)
The rotation is by default wrong.

No HDCP, and my bootloader is unlocked so the DRM level is L3.

Geekbench 5
Single Core 953
Multi Core 2954

 

[prozack1983]

Wow. No kidding? Did you have any trouble besides the rotation issue with the stock 12? I suppose unlocked BL is necessary for using the built in DSU loader?
Edit: Also, Is there a 2nd party app that can be used to keep rotation correct?

 

[mcdull]

basically it has almost the same issue as this thread.
It was a shame that I did not run the test before my bootloader unlock, and that makes no sense for me to relock it (no hdcp in gsi anyway).

GSI is not quite usable for me as it is lacking of the feature of a tablet, especially the magatic cover feature to use with the original keyboard cover. But the GSI rom (default) was running great.

 

[mcdull]

And uses the DSU sideloader for me is a no-go, it will install correctly but restart will not start in GSI, just the original rom. Could be some AB partition issue? I don't know.

 

[mcdull]

Some update:
Some ASOP GSI works and boot normally with the DSU sideloader app.
However, all bugs are still there:
i.e. rotation, no magnetic cover, no auto brightness
Plus, the screen is running very lag... which does not happen with the official GSI A12 rom.

https://github.com/phhusson/treble_experimentations/releases/download/v412/system-squeak-arm64-ab-vndklite-gapps.img.xz

This is one of the rom that boots.

 

[TheNiceGuy11999]

After a lot of jumping through hoops, I was able to get custom ROMs running on the tablet. Though I do want to share my experience with it.

I chose to run BlissOS 15.3 on it the first time, and it worked quite well, despite the known bugs such as the rotation, adaptive brightness not working, and the phhTreble settings not working either. (Not sure if it is specific to the ROM but there's that.)

A few things I noticed, TWRP would encrypt the partitions if you enabled a password on the system, and the decryption password is not the same as the one you set as the system password.

Another thing is setting the screen cutout to anything else other than the default, to which it will cause the whole screen to turn to black, rendering it useless unless you wipe the data in recovery mode.

I also found out that by changing the boot animation, it doesn't actually write on it, turning the bootanimation.zip file to 0 bytes when moved, a.k.a. it becomes non-existent, and thus when rebooting the tablet, it will drastically slow your device down. Sometimes it even heats up the device, I can even feel it through the casing.

I also tried other Android 12 GSIs, including Android 12L ones, but it had a few more issues, especially the navigation bar on Android 12L.

So for me, BlissOS works fine the best for me.

If anyone can find out how to fix these kinds of issues, let us know.

Thanks to @Tropaion for the instruction guide!

 

[prozack1983]

Thanks for going through that and letting us know! I am on the verge of trying it myself, so the write-up by @Tropaion and everyone else's experiences trying things out is super helpful!

 

[supertory]

After a lot of jumping through hoops, I was able to get custom ROMs running on the tablet. Though I do want to share my experience with it.

I chose to run BlissOS 15.3 on it the first time, and it worked quite well, despite the known bugs such as the rotation, adaptive brightness not working, and the phhTreble settings not working either. (Not sure if it is specific to the ROM but there's that.)

A few things I noticed, TWRP would encrypt the partitions if you enabled a password on the system, and the decryption password is not the same as the one you set as the system password.

Another thing is setting the screen cutout to anything else other than the default, to which it will cause the whole screen to turn to black, rendering it useless unless you wipe the data in recovery mode.

I also found out that by changing the boot animation, it doesn't actually write on it, turning the bootanimation.zip file to 0 bytes when moved, a.k.a. it becomes non-existent, and thus when rebooting the tablet, it will drastically slow your device down. Sometimes it even heats up the device, I can even feel it through the casing.

I also tried other Android 12 GSIs, including Android 12L ones, but it had a few more issues, especially the navigation bar on Android 12L.

So for me, BlissOS works fine the best for me.

If anyone can find out how to fix these kinds of issues, let us know.

Thanks to @Tropaion for the instruction guide!

Thanks for letting us know as well, thinking of trying this out sometime. Btw does it have Nearby Share built in? And do you get notifications like you should ?

 

[TheNiceGuy11999]

Thanks for letting us know as well, thinking of trying this out sometime. Btw does it have Nearby Share built in? And do you get notifications like you should

Mmhm! Nearby Share works, and notifications work properly as well! Check the screenshots for proof.

 

[prozack1983]

Are you having any issues with lag in the system, as reported by some others?

 

[TheNiceGuy11999]

Are you having any issues with lag in the system, as reported by some others?

No, actually! The only lag that I found is when I tried to change the boot animation. I heard that the system is partitioned exactly to fit every file, so when I tried moving a new bootanimation.zip into /system/media (couldn't find this in other GSIs that I tried) and rebooted, the whole system lagged like crazy. Maybe it's because there wasn't any boot animation?

 

[TheNiceGuy11999]

If anyone is willing to try Android 12L by following the guide, try these links!
(Make sure to check these often, they might update!)

GSI Rom List that Tropaion included in the guide

crDroid and ArrowOS (in v412 or above) (by Nazim, for some reason these were removed from the GSI Rom List)

phhusson's AOSP (AOSP 12.1)

Nippon GSI (Not sure if these GSIs can work, but feel free to try!)
UPDATE: May 10, 2022
I tried two GSIs from the list (PixelPlusUI and OneUI???), and it only caused bootloops.

 

[Tropaion]

No, actually! The only lag that I found is when I tried to change the boot animation. I heard that the system is partitioned exactly to fit every file, so when I tried moving a new bootanimation.zip into /system/media (couldn't find this in other GSIs that I tried) and rebooted, the whole system lagged like crazy. Maybe it's because there wasn't any boot animation?

That's right, the partition resizes automatically so all files added will be non-existend.
But you can try this: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...n-pad-pro-2021-tb-j716f.4348249/post-85900623

 

[TheNiceGuy11999]

That's right, the partition resizes automatically so all files added will be non-existend.
But you can try this: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...n-pad-pro-2021-tb-j716f.4348249/post-85900623

Tried this, however it gives 'blockdev: /dev/block/mapper/system_b: No such file or directory'

 

[TheNiceGuy11999]

Here's another prominent bug on Bliss OS 15.3 on the tablet:

Some settings on phhTreble Settings such as System UI Tuner crashes the app. However System UI Tuner on crDroid 8.4 works somehow??

Edit: The video can't be sent somehow, so I uploaded it on Streamable instead: https://streamable.com/taz4rb

 

[prozack1983]

Hey again. I noticed that there are 4 GSI builds in the built in DSU loader now. Has anyone tried these and have any info on whether they're worth a shot?

 

[TheNiceGuy11999]

Hey again. I noticed that there are 4 GSI builds in the built in DSU loader now. Has anyone tried these and have any info on whether they're worth a shot?

Looked at the DSU Loader for myself, and it's confirmed. Two of them had S3B1 in it, while the other two had TPB1 instead.